Erik Johnson basically says Gabriel Landeskog will return to the Avs
Apr 2, 2025, 9:02 PM
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson made some news on Wednesday night when it comes to the potential return of Gabriel Landeskog.
And if his prediction comes true, it’s great news for the Avs captain.
Johnson joined the TNT crew before they televised the game with Colorado and the Chicago Blackhawks, and was asked about Landeskog.
His answer is pretty funny and interesting, but it’s what he said at the end that will create headlines. It starts at the :29 mark.
Erik Johnson was doing some light campaigning to get back to the Colorado Avalanche before the trade deadline 😅 pic.twitter.com/r15qS5kftd
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) April 3, 2025
“We’re pulling for (Landeskog) and I think it’s a matter of when not if anymore,” Johnson said.
Interestingly enough, that was similar to what Landeskog said last summer at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines. He also said a return would happen sometime between mid-September and April, and here we sit in April with the playoffs just about 2.5 weeks away.
Landeskog recently skated back-to-back days, yet another milestone as he continues to recover from cartilage replacement surgery on his knee all the way back in 2023. Gabriel Landeskog hasn’t played in a game for the Avalanche since the team won the Stanley Cup in the summer of 2022.
As the playoffs are slated to start on either April 19 or 20, it remains to be seen if Landeskog can get back out there for the Avs. He recently practiced with the top power play unit, and even fist pumped after scoring a goal.
Gabriel Landeskog said last month a lot of guys in his shoes would’ve retired by now, but the Colorado captain still desperately wants to be on the ice with his team. His recovery is being shown in a new docuseries, and a perfect ending would be Landeskog joining the Avs for the postseason.
And maybe Johnson knows something we don’t, or maybe he’s feeling optimistic, but this is another great sign in Gabriel Landeskog potentially playing in a game with the Avalanche real soon.
